Survive Christmas Morning With This Neat Little Trick

Guarantee a fun and safe Christmas morning with this little trick on how to open tough clamshell plastic packages!

Survive Christmas Morning with This Neat Little Trick

Durable Plastic Packaging

The tradition of gift-giving has always been much-awaited in the history of Christmas. It's one thing we all look forward to, and there's nothing I hate more than opening presents and not being able to get the plastic casing open… Or worse yet when one of the kids starts to throw a fit on Christmas evening because he or she can't get to the new toy they just unwrapped. It's a good thing the plastic is durable enough to protect the product. However, it's also durable enough to give consumers a headache.

Clamshells are made to make it more difficult to steal smaller products. Another purpose is to make it simpler for store personnel to arrange the products for display. Unfortunately, this type of packaging adds frustration to consumers when they try to take the product out of the clamshell. The retailers find themselves with secure packaging, but the end users are having a hard time. The packaging is too secure, leaving the consumer frustrated as their eagerness to use the product grows.

Try to imagine your little ones patiently staring at their presents under the Christmas tree. When it's time to unwrap the gifts, all they can think of is get their hands on what's inside. The long wait is over, but the plastic package is becoming a problem – not exactly a joyful Christmas morning date for your kids.

How to Safely Open the Plastic Package?

These plastic packaging are annoying and potentially dangerous too. More and more consumers end up in emergency rooms because of these packages. There are tips to help you open these packages much easier. Some manufacturers put tabs that make it less difficult to open.

Try to look for these around the package. If there's none, find the right tool that'll help you open it. Every household must have a rotary can opener, and this tool works wonders with these hard-to-open clamshells.

All you need to do is run the can opener around the edge of the package like you do with a can. If this is not enough to pry the package open, run a knife between the two layers of plastic until you can safely open it. Scissors are also useful to trim around the edges. Be careful not to cut through the middle. You might cut through the instructions, or if you're really unlucky, you might damage the product with your sharp tool.

Check out this video by qaetv on how to open a plastic clamshell easily:

It's a sad state of affairs when the package is often more durable than the product inside it. This neat little trick will help you with those frustrating “clamshell” packages. Just make sure you don't damage the merchandise and do it carefully. Try it this Christmas and see how well it works for you!

Have you encountered the same problems with hard plastic packages?

What method did you use to open it safely? Share your experience with us in the comments section below!

Up Next: Holiday Survival Tips: How to Survive Christmas Eve with Excited Kids

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on December 25, 2014, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.